Frequently Asked Questions
We’re bringing answers home.
Home Healthcare FAQ
What is Home Healthcare?
Home healthcare is quite like it sounds. It is medical attention provided by skilled professionals that takes place in the comfort and convenience of your own home. The care comes to you rather than you having to travel to a hospital or clinic.
Home healthcare is coordinated by a licensed, qualified organization and may involve the services of nurses, therapists, clinicians and sometimes even social workers providing non-medical support. It is a service ordered by a physician for patients who may be recovering from a surgery, illness or injury or for those facing chronic illness.
What’s the difference between home healthcare, hospice care and private home care?
Home Healthcare is quite like it sounds. It is medical attention provided by skilled professionals that takes place in the comfort and convenience of your own home. The care comes to you rather than you having to travel to a hospital or clinic. Home healthcare is coordinated by a licensed, qualified organization and may involve the services of nurses, therapists, clinicians and sometimes even social workers providing non-medical support. It is a service ordered by a physician for patients who may be recovering from a surgery, illness or injury or for those facing chronic illness.
Hospice care is a philosophy of high-quality, compassionate care for anyone of any age who has a life-limiting illness and does not want any more curative treatment. It provides dignity, choice and comfort so what remains of life can be lived to its fullest. Hospice care also provides a great deal of support for family members in the form of physical, emotional and spiritual assistance.
Private Home Care provides care that concentrates on activities of daily living that including live in senior care, personal care, household/chore services, and transportation. These are all things that allow us to remain independent and in our homes.
Who is eligible for home healthcare?
To qualify for home health services, you must be in need of periodic medical treatment but experiencing difficulty leaving your home and to do so, need to rely on another person or an assistance device such as a cane, a walker or a wheelchair. The care must be ordered by your physician and that physician must be licensed in the state of Georgia. The care also must be deemed reasonable and necessary to the treatment of the patient’s illness or injury.
What services are covered under the Medicare benefit?
If you have Medicare benefits, you’ll be covered for home health services such as nursing care, physical therapy and speech-language pathology services. If qualified, you may also receive occupational therapy, the help of a medical social worker, assistance from a home health aide and/or medical supplies.
How many visits will I get at home?
Every patient and situation is different, and it will depend on the treatment ordered by your physician. Visiting Nurse continually communicates and coordinates the home visits with your doctor’s office. That way, if your situation should change, we will work in tandem with the doctor to decide if we should increase or decrease your visits.
What can I expect on the first Visiting Nurse Home Healthcare visit?
Visiting Nurse will assess the needs of the patient during the first visit ensuring the transition from the hospital to your home quite seamless. During the initial visit, a nurse or therapist will coordinate a hands-on plan of care for the patient including their physicians, family, and caregivers. By working together, Visiting Nurse’s team is able to provide the most exceptional care possible.
What does “homebound” mean?
Homebound indicates that it is challenging to leave the home and/or you unable to leave your home safely without medical equipment such as crutches, canes, walkers or wheelchairs. Your physician can determine if you are homebound if they believe that your illness or current health status could get worse if you do leave your home. However, it is not completely forbidden to leave the home. Those that are homebound leave for short periods of time for special non-medical activities like trips to attend church, graduations or to the barber/beauty shop.
Can I request Visiting Nurse if my doctor orders home health care for me?
Of course you can. Patients have the freedom to choose their health care provider under Federal law.
Who do I contact about admission to the program?
Call us, Visiting Nurse Health System, Georgia’s largest nonprofit home healthcare provider. We will then contact your physician to see if home health services are recommended and we will begin your plan. Call (404) 215-6000. We are ready to bring healthcare home to you.
How much does home healthcare cost?
Medicare, Medicaid and most insurance and managed care organizations cover the cost of home health services. Some insurance and manage care plans may require a deductible or co-pay. To have Visiting Nurse help you figure out your depth of coverage, call (404) 215-6000.
Are your employees supervised on a regular basis?
It is important to have a collaborative environment so our teams, clients, their families and physicians are on the same page. We update our employees weekly on their clients’ cases. Our Private Home Care team is also supervised by nurses on-site where they monitor the condition of the patient. These observations allow our team to report any changes to condition, care needs to the client’s family and/or primary physician.
How does Visiting Nurse | Hospice Atlanta ensure all employees are trustworthy and competent?
We understand the uncertainty of having someone new in your home but it is our goal to ensure that all of our clients are comfortable with all Visiting Nurse | Hospice Atlanta employees they come in contact with. Our employees proudly uphold our organizational values—respect, integrity, excellence, stewardship and care in all we do. At Visiting Nurse | Hospice Atlanta, we take pride in having compassionate and qualified employees. All employees are required to have advanced proficiency in critical thinking, time management, technical skills as well as reading, writing and speaking English. We also examine the following for all team members during the hiring process:
- Education
- Current licenses and/or certifications
- Criminal background checks
- Ability to read, write and speak English
- Written references
Does Visiting Nurse provide back-up coverage?
Yes, of course. For all pre-scheduled visits, we will provide backup coverage when necessary. Visiting Nurse is available 24/7 and will never leave a client unattended.
Are Visiting Nurse staff members insured and bonded?
Safety and integrity are important to us. All Visiting Nurse employees are fully insured in compliance with the Georgia state laws and fully bonded against theft.
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📣Open Enrollment: Navigating Medicare Choices
Visiting Nurse Health System and Hospice Atlanta want to help you stay informed and make the best choices for your healthcare coverage.
Medicare Open Enrollment is October 15 – December 7.
This is your opportunity to review your current coverage, compare plans, and make changes for the year ahead.
✅ Review your current Medicare coverage
✅ Compare plans, benefits, and costs
✅ Make sure your doctors, prescriptions, and services are covered
Your health and peace of mind matter to us! Take time to review your options and make informed decisions about your care.
Medicare: Annual Open Enrollment is October 15–December 7, 2026. Beneficiaries can review and change Medicare Advantage and prescription drug plans.
Medicaid: There is no annual Open Enrollment period in Georgia. Eligible individuals can apply year-round, and current beneficiaries can renew or update their information as needed
Learn more at:
Medicare.gov or call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227).
Georgia Medicaid at gateway.ga.gov or call 1-877-423-4746
For questions about eligibility, applications, renewals, or updating your information.
#MedicareOpenEnrollment #SeniorHealth #VisitingNurseHealthSystem #HospiceAtlanta
⭐ Excellence in Care, Right at Home!
Visiting Nurse’s Home Health division is proud to have our patients give a 4-Star Rating! We are proud to bring quality care into our patients` home each day, and this award is a genuine reflection of our commitment to delivering exceptional care, improving outcomes, and helping patients live safely and independently at home.
Congratulations to our incredible Home Health team for making a difference in the lives of those we serve every day!
#visitingnursehealthsystem #HomeHealth #QualityCare #4StarRating
As we close October, National Physical Therapy Month, we’ve had a great time celebrating our Physical Therapists (PT) and Physical Therapist Assistants (PTA). The great work they do each day lives on year long, helping patients stay strong, mobile, and independent at home. Thank you PTs! #PTMonth #gratitude
🎃 No tricks, just treats, and a whole lot of TRUE care! 🧡
Our Visiting Nurse Health System / Hospice Atlanta team is out and about this Halloween, bringing comfort, compassion, and a little extra care to patients right where they call home. Because the sweetest treat is knowing you`re cared for! 👻🩺
#VisitingNurse #TRUECare #Halloween #CareAtHome
Celebrating our employee of the month! Congratulations!
Visiting Nurse celebrated our Home Health Physical Therapists this week in recognition of PT Appreciation Month!
For more than 78 years, we’ve served Atlanta, helping patients regain strength, improve mobility and maintain independence at home. We are grateful to our PTs for the skill, compassion and dedication they bring to our patients every day.
To all of our PTs/PTAs, thank you for the work you do, the lives you touch and the difference you make for Visiting Nurse and the families we serve!
#ptappreciationmonth#homehealthcare#physicaltherapy#visitingnursehealthsystem #agingathome
The hidden caregiving crisis is a workforce issue, and a critical part of the ongoing conversation about the future of aging at home.
We’d like to thank everyone who joined us today for the Visiting Nurse Healthcare Champions Event: Leadership Conversations That Drive Change, hosted by Genuine Parts Company.
A special thank-you to Genuine Parts Company’s Renay Blumenthal, Sr. Director, Corporate Giving & Community Relations, for leading the day’s event with a warm welcome, and kicking off the day’s amazing line up of speakers.
Honored to have this event moderated by Crystal Edmonson of the Atlanta Business Chronicle, we are very grateful for our panelists for sharing their leadership expertise and perspectives on the growing demands facing working family caregivers and how employers can help support them:
• Rachel Cannady, Senior Associate Director, Caregiving, The Carter Center
• Keisha Olinger, Region Leader, Marsh People and Investments, Mid-South
• Eric Barker, Analyst, Senior Health & Welfare, Southern Company
Thank you to our own President and CEO, Dorothy Davis, for speaking today, and continuing to bring community leaders together to keep this important conversation going, critical to addressing the future of healthcare in our communities. At Visiting Nurse, we see firsthand how family caregivers help older adults remain safe, comfortable and independent at home. Yet balancing caregiving responsibilities with work and family life can create significant challenges for our own employees, employers and families.
Supporting caregivers is essential to helping seniors age with dignity in the place they call home. By bringing business and community leaders together, we can raise awareness, explore meaningful workplace solutions and strengthen the support systems families need. Because caring for those who care for others matters, too.
Thank you to Genuine Parts Company for hosting this important conversation and Huntington Bank for sponsoring our Healthcare Champions series. Together, we can help build healthier workplaces, stronger families and more supportive communities for Georgia’s aging population.
The future of aging at home starts with all of us!
Grateful our Healthcare Champions, with the generous support of event sponsor Arnall Golden Gregory LLP, brought together key community leaders, partners and distinguished guests for an important conversation about the future of healthcare and aging in Georgia.
Lead by nationally-recognized healthcare attorney Bill A. Dombi, Arnall Golden Gregory LLP (AGG), and Visiting Nurse President and CEO Dorothy Davis, this important conversation investigated how healthcare, business, philanthropy and public policy can work together to strengthen the infrastructure, innovation and partnerships that help Georgians age safely, independently and with dignity at home. Including Georgia`s healthcare community leaders, changemakers and valued community partners in attendance, the room was filled with people committed to shaping what comes next.
Thank you to all of our guests who joined the conversation, with a very special thank you to Bill Dombi for leading the day`s event. Thank you to our host Arnall Golden Gregory LLP for sponsoring this important event.
#VisitingNurseHealthSystem #HealthcareChampions #AgingAtHome #HealthcareLeadership #GeorgiaHealthcare #HospiceCare
Happy National Case Management Week!
And a little appreciation goes a long way, as Phillip Walters, of Hospice Atlanta, made life a little sweeter joining Northside Hospital’s Case Management Vendor Event! Sharing important resources and information on critical care, a great time was had celebrating these dedicated case managers who make a difference for patients and families every day.
Thank you for all you do, and a shout out to our local Scrumpt bakery for helping make their special week even sweeter! #NationalCaseManagementWeek #HospiceAtlanta
⭐ Camp STARS 2026 is getting ready to shine! ⭐
Our Camp STARS volunteers and facilitators came together Saturday for a meaningful training workshop to prepare for our campers this November!
From learning and sharing ideas, together our volunteers planned grief-group activities designed to help children and families connect, express their feelings and grow through their journeys of grief. 💙
Prepared for Camp weekend, filled with moments that matter, these dedicated leaders are ready to make Camp STARS a meaningful and memorable experience for our families.
Thank you to our amazing Camp STARS volunteers and facilitators for showing up with heart and purpose!
We’re so grateful for the heart, creativity and compassion our Camp STARS volunteers bring to this special weekend. ⭐
#CampStars#hospiceatlanta#visitingnursehealthsystem#campvolunteers#griefsupport#MakingADifference
